Indian occupation troops on Saturday shot dead 21 freedom fighters in Indian occupied Kashmir, while two occupation soldiers and two civilians were killed as the hunt continued for freedom fighters.
Nine of the freedom fighters were killed during a fierce clash with Indian occupation troops along the heavily militarised frontier between India and Pakistan in northern Baramulla district early Saturday, Indian army spokesman Vijay Batra told AFP.
A six-year-old girl also died in the exchange of fire between the two sides, he added.
Four freedom fighters were killed at dawn on Saturday during a clash in Kashmir's Kupwara district near the border between India and Pakistan.
Police said six freedom fighters, two occupation soldiers and a Nepali national were also killed in shootouts and gunbattles between freedom fighters and occupation troops across occupied Kashmir on Saturday.
On Friday and Saturday, Indian occupation troops recovered the bodies of four more freedom fighters in the snowbound northern Gurez area of Indian occupied Kashmir, bringing the number of dead freedom fighters found there to 11 since Tuesday.
Batra said on Friday the dead freedom fighters in Gurez were part of the largest infiltration into occupation Kashmir since India and Pakistan began a slow-moving peace process to solve the occupied Kashmir dispute 19 months ago.
Indian media reports, quoting occupation army sources, say around 35 freedom fighters have crossed into the Gurez area via snow-covered passes as high as 4,850 metres (16,000 feet).
"The searches are on. We are seeking freedom fighters who might be hiding in the area," Batra said on Saturday.